beneteau refrigeration

[Bill & Evelyn Swartz]

Hi all!
I'm new to Seaknots and Beneteau corner but thought I would throw this out there. I have an 1995 Oceanis 440. This is our 5th season with her on the Great Lakes and will be our 4th season cruising all summer (late June to Sept.). We love the boat and she performs well in all aspects of extended cruising but for one thing. I find that I need to defrost the freezer weekly. I have fortified the lid seal and have lined the inside of the chamber with additional styrafoam which has helped a little but not what I thought it should be. I keep it turned to max cold which results in temps 4 to 11f. I find I am constantly needing to readjust the fridge side which ofcourse pulls its cold from the freezer. If the freezer is frosting from drawing the moisture from the fridge then there's probably no cure but I'm in hopes someone else has encountered this situation and resolved it. Would love to hear about it.
Thanks, Bill

[Michael Cioffi]

Hi Bill
try raising that temp a bit. what your getting is flash frost. as soon as the moisture hits the freezer from the fridge its turning to ice and from there it just keeps building up. once free from ice, also try wiping it down with a little olive oil, just a little bit. this will delay sticking at the flash point and will also make it easy for a quick wipe down. you will still get soem ice but very little and it will be easier to manage. let me know how you make out.
Blue skies
Mike

[Bill & Evelyn Swartz]

Thanks Mike. We load up the freezer with vacuum packed meat to use throughout the summer so I have not wanted to chance having it thaw out too early but have probably been too cautious. Will definately try your suggestion and let you know.
Bill

[Mike Brown]

Another thing you may want to try is placing a wire rack in the bottom of the freezer. This will allow better air circulation and prevent items on the bottom becoming soft on their undersides. We picked some up at an Ace Hardware store for just a few $ and they make a difference.